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Vintage Ampeg SVT timeline?

Zentner

Zentner

May 5, 2003
1,378
337
40
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
#1
Anyone know where one can find out exactly when they started changing things on the first SVT's?

I'm talking stuff like...

6146B -> 6550's
Chrome power/standby switches -> Black -> Chrome again
Tube relay -> No tube relay
4 pin output jack -> 1/4 inch

Is there a resource for this, or does anyone know? I'm particularly interested in when they started using black switches. I'm looking at you Jimmy.....

Thanks!
 
#2
Am I the only one who owns the Ampeg book? ;)

Anyway, 6146's were gone by late 70.

The tube relay (to the best of my knowledge) was only part of the first run and was almost immediately dropped. From what all the techs tell me, this was a good thing since it would shut down the whole amp if it broke. The vast majority of heads with it have shorting plugs installed in its place. I told my tech that I wanted it installed, and he refused.

4-pin jack was gone by 74 when Magnavox took over, as were the chrome on/off, polarity, and standby switches, and black rockers. The switches and rockers didn't return till SLM brought out the SVT-VR in 2004-ish (pretty sure I got this wrong...feel free to correct me).

Also, you didn't ask, but the SVT was almost constantly undergoing changes in its first few years, and still undergoes changes on a regular basis, especially since moving to China and having to source all parts from China. Surprisingly, the sound has remained almost identical, other than the CL/2 Pro SVT's. I'd say the biggest change was from the 6146's to the 6550's, and even that isn't such a big change.
 
#3
Awesome info!

Any idea when they switched to and from the switches on this amp? One's black and one's chrome... did chrome come first, then they switched to black, and then back? Errr....

DSC06112.gif
 
#4
all of my the early SVT's that i've owned ('69-'71) had black switches that had a small black plastic toggle that was flat (kinda triangular shaped), not like a 'bat' handle. on alot of old SVT's, many of these broke off and were subsequently replaced with mtal ones. my '72 had silver metal toggles & my '70 V4 had black 'bat' handle toggles that were metal.

2 cents..........
 
#5
Zentner said:
Awesome info!

Any idea when they switched to and from the switches on this amp? One's black and one's chrome... did chrome come first, then they switched to black, and then back? Errr....

DSC06112.gif
Click to expand...

BTW, it doesn't look like either of the switches on that photo are original to me. especially the silver one. they never had a little plate that said on/off.
 
#8
Can't live without it!

Too bad I handed it over to a friend... but

Blue control panel graphics 1968 - 1972
Black control panel graphics with square corners 1972 -1975
Black control panel graphics, horizontally split with rounded corners (solid state amps) 1973 - 1979
Black control panel graphics, horizontally split with rounded corners (tube amps) 1976 - 1979
Distortion control knob 1976 - 1979
White rocker switches (solid state amps) 1973 - 1979
White rocker switches (tube amps) 1976 - 1979
Black rocker switches 1968 - 1975
Metal "a" logo 1968 - 1972
Plastic "a" logo 1973 - 1979

1981 - 1984 Logo on the lower right corner I believe
The MTI-era amplifiers cannot be dated by serial number. Dating by EIA date codes is impossible since the Japanese components do not carry EIA codes. However, all MTI-era Ampegs were made in the relatively short time period between late 1981 and 1984.
 

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